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<title>The Craft of Friendship by Tabby_Shieldmaiden</title>
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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27244513">The Craft of Friendship</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabby_Shieldmaiden/pseuds/Tabby_Shieldmaiden'>Tabby_Shieldmaiden</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fictober 2020 [28]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Skylanders (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Arguments, Female Friendship (sort of), Gen, Kidfic, Playing Pretend, Sad Ending, Screen Reader Friendly</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-10-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 23:27:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,273</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27244513</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabby_Shieldmaiden/pseuds/Tabby_Shieldmaiden</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Hijinx liked playing with Whisper Elf, Mini Jini and Breeze. Even though at first, she did not.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Fictober 2020 [28]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1947136</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Craft of Friendship</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>You know, I watched The Craft around the time I got the idea for this. Honestly, I was really disappointed in the movie. I expected something a lot better and more resonant than what we got. But oh well, at least we got this story.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Hijinx liked playing with Whisper Elf, Mini Jini and Breeze. Even though at first, she did not. But Hex encouraged her to try and play some games with the other Minis, befriend them, instead of constantly spending her days with a nose stuck in a book. “Try sharing the things that you’re interested in. Ask if they would like to play?”</p><p>At first, Hijinx was a little apprehensive. She generally got along well with the older Skylanders, and Hex told her it was because she was ‘mature for her age’. Hijinx wasn’t quite sure how she felt about being considered ‘mature’ at first, but she ended up deciding to consider it as a compliment. But a part of her did wish she acted more her age sometimes. It would certainly make it less alienating to interact with other kids her age.</p><p>Nevertheless, she gave it a try. And she was pleasantly surprised at how open they were to game suggestions. Hijinx wanted them all to pretend to be a part of a witch’s coven. Because at the moment she had been reading a ton about witches and magic, and she found the topic absolutely fascinating. She just could not get enough of it.</p><p>And the first time they really played together, Hijinx told them all about witch covens. What they do, and all the roles they could pretend to fulfil. There were a ton of complicated systems - in a place like Skylands, magic was practically a science - but she enjoyed trying to think of simple explanations for them. Every time they got together to play, Hijinx would always want them to pretend to be a coven. And every time that happened, she would always share a little bit more information to them, most of it recent things she had learned.</p><p>Hijinx had to admit, she found playing with them rather fun. Mostly, she was glad that there were people around who were willing to listen to the things she found interesting, and play all the games that she found fun. And it was really fun for about a month.</p><p>But afterwards, things started changing. It didn’t change all at once, but it happened slowly, and Hijinx noticed it slowly. She noticed that while playing the game, Breeze was becoming a lot more half-hearted. In the beginning, Breeze was actually the most enthusiastic out of all the girls in learning how to play ‘Coven’. Hijinx wondered what was up with her behaviour that was making her increasingly difficult to play with.</p><p>For example, one part about them playing ‘Coven’ was collecting a bunch of spices and other edible goods together to make ‘potions’. Usually, the girls would challenge each other to make the most disgusting drink, and the winner gets a free ice cream paid by the other girls. Part of the fun was ingredient shopping. But lately, most of the other girls and <em> especially </em> Breeze were bringing in less and less interesting ingredients. In the past, Breeze brought in a ton of things. From ketchup to rock sugar to some weird sour cherry syrup. Now, they were lucky if she even bothered bringing a glass of water.</p><p>That day, Hijinx brought as many ingredients as she could find. Collected over days of scavenging the Academy kitchen. Matcha powder, orange juice, coconut water, soy sauce, wasabi powder, chili sauce packets from fast food places. All sorts of things which might taste awful together. Whisper Elf brought some gummy bears she melted in a microwave, as well as some chocolate sauce. It was obvious that those were just things she ended up throwing together at the last minute, but it was the thought that counted. Mini Jini brought a mug filled with hot chocolate (though technically it was lukewarm chocolate), a few packets of coffee mix, and a bottle of almond milk. Breeze, just as usual, brought nothing. </p><p>The game went on as per usual. But throughout the game, Hijinx could only glare at Breeze, and the way she looked so bored. Just a month ago, when they were just starting to play the game, she was so enthusiastic.</p><p>Mini Jini won that game, with a matcha powder/hot chocolate/chili sauce/melted gummy bear/wasabi mess. And now everyone owed her an ice cream. They all decided that it was time to move onto the next game though, and Hijinx immediately ran off to get things ready.</p><p>“Well, let’s go and do some light-bending next! I think we could use some wishes, don’t you think?” Usually, she did the act of ‘light-bending’ - meaning they made a rainbow together - with Breeze. Mostly because they were the only ones who had the power to do so. </p><p>Whisper Elf and Mini Jini had their forms of magic which they were studying to attain proficiency in. That was why they were all still <em> Minis </em>, they were students. But Hijinx was a scholar of as many forms of magic as possible, just like her mentor Hex. And Breeze, just like her mentor Whirlwind, was known for her ability to summon rainbows. Most of these rainbows were offensive attacks; there was a reason why that move was called ‘Rainbow of Doom’. But with Hijinx’s help, and a little bit of focus, they could summon a non-offensive rainbow. One which came out of Breeze’s horn, and ended in Hijinx’s cupped hands.</p><p>When they summoned a rainbow, they each made a wish. And on the first day they did it, Hijinx had wished that her friends would like her and want to continue to play with her.</p><p>“Come on, Breeze? Can we do this one together?” Asked Hijinx, expecting her to agree and go along, just like she usually did when she suggested they do some light-bending.</p><p>However, that day Breeze didn’t nod her head yes. She didn’t smile. She didn’t agree to do it with her. “No, Hijinx. I don’t want to do it.”</p><p>That made Hijinx pause for a while. This didn’t usually happen. “Come on Breeze, you know that we’re the only ones here who can do anything with rainbows. It’ll be fun, like always.”</p><p>Once again, Breeze shook her head no.</p><p>Hijinx was beginning to lose her patience. It had probably been building up for a while at that point, because she was acting a little resistant towards playing ‘Coven’. But her annoyance at Breeze’s behaviour was only just making itself clear to Hijinx. “Come on, Breeze. Do I have to do everything around here?” She was honestly carrying most of their games of ‘Coven’. The one who brought the most ingredients, the one who helped with half of the light-bending.</p><p>“No, Hijinx. I mean that I don’t want to play ‘Coven’ anymore!” She snapped. Breeze was a lot like Whirlwind, in that they could both be temperamental. But unlike Whirlwind, she definitely had yet to learn how to control her temper. And before Hijinx could say anything in response, Breeze stormed out of the room. Dashing out and then slamming the door right behind her.</p><p>The room echoed with the sound of the door slamming shut. And then Whisper Elf and Mini Jini spoke up.</p><p>“I think we really ought to be going to, Hijinx,” said Whisper Elf.</p><p>“But yeah… You were kind of being selfish with the games we could play. Next time, can you please let one of us choose what to play?” Added Mini Jini. And with that, the two of them were out the door. Though they closed the door far more gently than Breeze did. </p><p>This left Hijinx alone in the room, with nothing but a bunch of ingredients to clean up.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hijinx is my way of writing Hex if things turned out better for her usually. But sometimes, she's just a mirror to Hex. Because sadly, sometimes history repeats because no one is perfect.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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